The Hatter's Heart
by spoonfulofklaroline
Summary: Caroline wasn't suited for a small world with no adventure, she craved something more. But what could come of a girl who refused her suitors and laughed at the stereotypes decided for her? Something wonderful.
1. Chapter 1

"Caroline, I don't think I understand your desire for adventure." Elena strung a finger through one of her curls and flashed a smile that always made Caroline feel inferior. The way her perfectly white teeth stood out against her exotic olive skin made her own skin tense. "Why don't you just try horseback riding?"

Caroline resituated her large skirt and tried to press it down unnoticed with her hands but it to no avail. "That's a wonderful suggestion, Elena; maybe Lord Salvatore would be willing to show me how to ride."

Elena had been coy with two brothers from a manor a town over and had yet to select one to not only seal her betrothal but also to create a business deal between the Salvatores and Gilberts. Caroline was friends with the younger brother and her relationship with him had always made Elena uneasy. There was no romantic interest between the two because Stefan only had eyes for one, but Caroline wasn't going to tell Elena that.

"Now Caroline there's no need to be rash, I was only giving a suggestion. Besides, the Salvatores are going to be too busy escorting me to the—"

It didn't matter what event or dance Elena was about to name, Caroline had no interest. She would be declining every invitation to go as always and would spend the night making fun of the guests with the kitchen staff. They all had a particular opinion of Miss Gilbert. "Elena, I think I'd like to go for a walk, would you be interested in accompanying me?"

A certain joy burst in her chest as Elena's nose wrinkled in disgust and she shook her head while reaching for her tea. "I think I'd rather enjoy the garden a few minutes more before retiring for the evening." The way that Elena stroked her leather journal allowed Caroline to know that she was going to do the one thing she liked about the girl. Elena may not be the best at sharing her thoughts verbally but some of her poems had really spoken to Caroline in the past.

The blonde girl politely excused herself and made her way down the path to the lake. Once out of view of the main house she cursed and pulled up the skirt that had been tripping her the entire way. Removing the petticoat underneath, Caroline was able to let the upper skirt fall loosely around her legs. The blue fabric was one of her favorites and covered her riding boots enough that most didn't notice. Elena was delusional if she thought Caroline hadn't been riding since she knew what a horse was.

She pulled her curls into a loose bun and pinned it back. The water was gleaming in the afternoon sun and with the sky beginning to change colors she wished she was able to paint the scene to capture forever in her room. Finding a ledge that gave her the best view of the lake Caroline began to relax without Elena's constant chattering. The wind rustled the leaves above her head and she watched the shadows of the branches move on the ground. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath and listened to the silence.

"Where did I put it?"

Her eyes popped open and she whipped her head from left to right trying to discover the source of the voice.

"Not again, why can't I keep track of it!"

"Sir, can I assist you in finding what you've lost?" Caroline stood and brushed her skirt and made her way to where she believed the voice was coming from.

Stopping mid step she came face to face with the strangest thing. A white rabbit in a burgundy vest looked back at her hunched over the ground digging through a bush. She blinked several times and still couldn't understand what she was seeing.

"Hello dearie, you must've fallen asleep on the lake edge, soon you'll wake up—"

"I didn't fall asleep; I can see you in front of me plain as day!"

He stared at Caroline sternly before he hopped several feet away from her. "No wait! Don't go, what were you looking for?"

The chase began as Caroline lifted her skirt and ran after her knew acquaintance. How strange that she should be chasing after a rabbit, a _male_ rabbit for that matter. The trees were beginning to work against her as they made their way into the wood around her house. The rabbit was able to dip underneath roots and fit into spaces she was unable to. Soon enough he disappeared but Caroline was no longer able to hear him making his way through the woods. She leaned against a small tree and caught her breath. Assessing the damage she saw where her skirt had been caught and muddy leaves clung to it and her boots.

"Where did you make off to?" She listened for any breathing or rustling but all signs of the rabbit had disappeared, as if he were never there. Picking a leaf from her bun she made her way to the largest tree in front of her. Circling it she tried to find a hole that was large enough to fit the rabbit. She tripped on a root and threw her hand out in front of her to brace her fall. Opening her eyes she saw a root she had obtained for balance but she noticed a burrow in between the two.

"Ha, I've got you now rabbit!" Caroline quickly began to push leaves and dirt out of her way to bring her face closer to the opening. "Hello, rabbit? Can you hear me?"

Before she could make another move, Caroline's hand slipped on the wet leaves and sent her face first into the hole. Expecting to smack her face straight into the ground Caroline braced herself once again for impact. As her entire body shifted forward Caroline became more uncertain as the once rabbit sized hole swallowed her into a vast abyss.


	2. Chapter 2

As the air was ripped from her lungs, Caroline righted herself into a sitting position as she feel through the air. The darkness was terrifying and seemed unending. Without an understanding about what was happening she thought this might be death. What had she been expecting chasing after something that didn't exist? A dim light came from beneath her and Caroline wondered if this was what Elena had meant in her poems. Her life was going nowhere anyway; maybe this was the answer she had been waiting for.

The warmth enveloped her and she took the first breath in what seemed like forever. The air rushing past her stopped and she hovered in a strange room. Everywhere was clocks. Some of the models looked familiar but others were strange. It was almost as if someone had removed the face of the clock but the gears were still keeping track. Despite all being different the clocks kept the same time.

_Tick, tock. Tick. Tock._

Caroline continued to float but the rhythm became a comfort. She could feel their tempo keeping with her heart beat and then her breaths came in the same movements. The gears were ornate and had to have come from somewhere other than England. The shaft of clocks finally came to an end but right before she lost sight of the final clock they all stopped simultaneously, as if they would wait for the next soul who lost their way.

If she could regulate the clocks then maybe Caroline had more power over her surroundings than she first thought. Closing her eyes she stood straight in the abyss and imagined what it would be like to place her feet on solid ground. She imagined the sound that her muddy boot would make and the sound of her steps matching her heart beat just as the clocks had. With one final inhale she forced the image out around her.

Thud. Just as she had imagined the boots slightly slipped on a cavern floor. Opening her eyes she saw a door directly in front of her and a table slightly to her left. The size of the door had her discouraged as she came closer and confirmed that there was no way she would fit. She twisted the knob but it didn't budge. Turning both ways she struggled trying to decide whether it was locked or just stubborn.

"What is it with you people and wasting time?"

Hearing a voice after such a long time in silence Caroline jumped back from the door as if the knob had bitten her and stared straight into the eyes of a wooden lion. When she had first approached the door she had no interest in the wood carved beast which acted only as another decoration in what could only be described as a surreal painting.

"Are you deaf human child?"

"Is everyone from here so judgmental of humans? The rabbit thought he could convince me I was seeing things."

"That creature just came through here but is gone now. Good riddance. He thinks he can just come and go as he pleases."

Getting on her knees, Caroline came to the lion's level, "you've seen the rabbit?"

"He was here just a few minutes ago, got in and got out, complaining that he couldn't find it," the lion yawned and Caroline noticed that even his teeth and tongue were made of wood.

"What was he looking for?"

"The little bugger wouldn't say but then again no one ever wants to talk to me, they only want to gain passageway. I'm sure that is why you are also here?" He raised a wooden eyebrow and waited for her response.

"I'm sorry to be rude because you seem like a nice…door, but I need to know where I am."

"Well that's easy; you're at the entrance to Wonderland. For someone who thinks we're judging her, you aren't very bright, are you?" He chuckled and the entire door shook.

"Wonderland…okay. How do I get home?"

"You don't. Not the way you came at least. You'll need to be granted passage back by the Queen."

"The queen?"

"She lives in the capital of Wonderland. But be careful, human child, her bite is harder than mine."

"My name is Caroline, not 'human child' and your bite would amount to a bad splinter."

"I resent that remark." He scowled at Caroline and went silent. She realized that she was just wasting time with bantering and that she was going to have to get through to find the queen. To do that, she was going to need to play by his rules.

"Will you please let me through?"

"It's not my decision to make; you have to open the door with the key."

"Where is the key?" Why hadn't he told her before? She had been sitting here for no reason if she could open the door herself.

"It's on the table, are you blind and deaf?"

"That's enough sass out of you."

Standing up she walked over to the table and finally noticed the objects sitting on the surface. The key was obvious but what caught her attention most was a glass bowl filled with pastries. Iced with pastel colors that ranged in blues, pinks and greens, they each had a small message tempting her to partake.

_Eat me. Taste me. Pick me._

Ignoring the rumble in her stomach she picked up the key and walked back to the door. Inserting the key she twisted and listened as the lock gave in. Opening the door she looked through to see a small set of trees through the frame but they seemed far away.

"What is that?"

"Mat's Ronderland" the lion's mumbled voice came and she closed the door and the lion smiled at her.

"Do you get any bigger?"

"No, but you can get smaller."

"Do you know what a human is?"

"Do you know what an enchanted pastry is?"

The picture of them flashed in her mind and she once again returned to the table. She picked the one on top and went for a bite.

"Wait! Leave me open."

"What?"

"If you're going to get into Wonderland you'll need to be small but also able to make it through the door."

"Thank you for that."

"You're the only person, human or otherwise, that has talked to me. I thought it was worth it."

Smiling, Caroline took a bite. When nothing happened she sent a harsh stare back at the door. "Nothing happened."

"Give it a minute woman, magic isn't always instantaneous."

"Well for me, magic doesn't exi—" but before she could finish it felt like her entire body imploded. Pulling herself together she realized she was lying on the floor and looking up at her friend who had gotten a lot larger. It had worked.

"Thank you again for all of your help." She placed the rest of the pastry in her pocket and started forward.

"One last piece of advice Caroline, if you're going through this door you need to open up your mind to what you might find. Or your time in Wonderland will be cut short."

Nodding, she made her way through the frame and began the journey towards the wood. A chill ran down her neck as she heard the door close with parting words.

_Beware the Hatter._


	3. Chapter 3

Taking in the first breath of fresh air since she could remember, Caroline stepped out into the forest. When she turned back the tunnel and the door were gone and all that surrounded her were trees.

"Well that's just great, back where I started." But this was definitely not England. Wonderland. That's what the door had said.

_Beware the Hatter._

Caroline didn't know why his parting words were sticking with her but she would remember them. Now all she had to do was find the queen, how hard could it be? Looking around she tried to find any sign of which direction she should head. Each way just revealed more trees. Her only saving grace was that the door had left her on a road. There were no signs or indications of which way she should travel, the only thing that gave any hint were tracks on the road. At first it seemed like hoof prints but there was something strange about them. The front sets were almost like bird talons and the back resembled a paw print. Caroline quickly came to terms that whatever Wonderland was, it was going to hold many surprises. The strange tracks seemed like her only option so shrugging her shoulders she began in their direction.

Pulling the pin out of her hair she let it fall around her shoulders. Keeping her hair in place while falling had been too much of a task and who cared what she looked like while she walked alone through a forest. Which way had that rabbit gone? Maybe whatever left those tracks had eaten him. Serves him right for leading a poor girl into an enchanted world she couldn't leave. Caroline knew that she had no one to blame but herself. Elena's mocking voice flowed through her head as she remembered their conversation from before. Why did she crave adventure? Elena; if she was here then what were people going to think back at home. Her mother would be sick with worry; her father was probably off gallivanting with one of his friends. His actions were not discussable in polite company but her mother never kept secrets from her.

While lost in thought Caroline had completely ignored a sound coming closer. When she finally snapped out of it she darted for a tree and pressed her back to the bark hoping that the mass of the trunk would hide her. What if it would eat her just like it had the rabbit? She could hear it moving closer and then a light chirping like a bird. A very large bird. She heard the snap and assumed it was a beak. A razor sharp beak. When it was close enough that she could hear breathing she held her own breath. Pressing her back even closer to the tree Caroline hoped she was undetectable.

"Where are your manners Alexander? Did you even chew that sparrow?"

The male voice made Caroline's heart stopped and she dared peak around the tree. Standing in the middle of the road was a young gentleman with dark features and a string of small dead birds hanging from his side. Shocking Caroline even more was the "Alexander" the man was talking to. With a bird's head that rose above the young man's, the creature had a long body that ended with his feline tail that whipped back and forth. So that was what had made the tracks she had seen earlier. Tucked to its back were grey wings but there was no mistaking their huge size.

_Sir._

Her voice had left her and Caroline felt frozen in spot. The man seemed harmless enough but the creature at his side whose beak could sever her neck nailed her to the spot.

_What if this is your only chance? What if he doesn't come back?_

"Sir…"

Both looked over to her tree but she had still yet to step around. A piercing screech came from behind her and she closed her eyes expecting his talons to rip through the tree and her.

"Alexander! That is enough," the man's stern voice silenced the bird immediately and Caroline took a stuttered breath. "It's alright child, you can show yourself. Alexander will behave."

Still weary Caroline only dared to peak her head from around the tree. Taking a closer look the man was very handsome and she peered through her curls at his strong jaw line. He tucked the string of birds into a bag on what looked to be a makeshift saddle on his companion's side and wiped his hands on his pants. "Please don't be afraid. He was just saying 'hello', in the only way he can."

Alexander cocked his head to the side to get a better look at her and blinked. It would have been cute had he not been a silent killer. "You could come and meet him and learn for yourself."

Straightening her shoulders and trying to hide her fear she came around the tree. With one foot in front of the other she proudly walked up to both of them and hoped they couldn't see her shaking. _You can do this. You can do this._

"Stay still and let him come to you."

Freezing, she stared Alexander directly in the eye and waited. He took large steps towards her and cocked his head once again. Breathing so closely that he could blow the hair off her face, Alexander lightly tapped her chin with his beak. Not daring to move with him so close to her throat, Caroline once again forgot to breathe. The man chuckled to himself and eyed her with a strange pleasure. Before she realized that he had even moved his head, Alexander's beak nipped at her pocket.

"What are you doing?!" Jumping back she startled Alexander and he flew back as well outstretching his wings and knocking her to the ground.

"Whoa, now big boy. It's alright, you should know better than to mouth off to a lady." After calming the bird, the man turned to her with an outstretched hand. "Again, I'm sorry about his behavior. "I know he looks big but he's actually still quite young…and impulsive. I apologize for knocking you down, that was not my intention."

Caroline grasped his hand and came to her feet. The sound of his voice was calming and reassuring and she felt the only comfort since she had fallen through the hole. "I'm just glad that I've met someone human other than me."

He laughed at her statement but Caroline didn't understand what the joke was. "Things are not always what they appear in Wonderland, my dear. Would it be rude to ask your name?"

"It's Caroline; will you please return the same courtesy?"

Looking down and smiling to himself he returned eye contact and with a smile in his voice replied, "I'm Elijah."


	4. Chapter 4

"What brings you to Wonderland, Caroline?" They had been walking for no more than a few minutes and his questions were unending. Never would a man have had so much interest in her, other than who her father was. Then again William Forbes very rarely let boys around his little Care Bear.

_Make something up, make something up._ "I chased a rabbit through a hole and then a door let me in." Digging her nails into the palm of her hand she wished she had just tripped and fallen on the road. Maybe he would have thought her less crazy.

"The white rabbit?" He had a puzzled look on his face that shifted into one of irritation.

"Yes! Do you know him?" Caroline clapped her hands together in excitement and hoped that Elijah would truly solve all of her problems.

"I try to feed him to Alexander on every occasion possible." Fail.

"Why would you do such a thing?" Caroline's eyes were huge in shock as she once again stared at Alexander's large beak. Even the bird seemed to be laughing.

"He's a messenger for the queen and I have very little tolerance for her some days. Once she acquired power it went straight to her head and now the rabbit does her errands because that head can't fit through a door." Caroline found it impossible not to quietly chuckle at the man's joke.

"I actually need to find the queen; do you know how to get to her?"

Elijah stopped and shared a quick glance at Alexander before he met her eyes, "why would someone such as yourself need to see the queen?"

"I was told she was the only one who could allow someone out of Wonderland. I really just want to go home." That wasn't entirely true. Caroline knew that she should go home and pretend like this was all a bad dream but a small part of her wanted to know more about the world she had arrived in.

"I think it unwise for you to go to the queen."

"But how will I get home?" They had begun walking again and Caroline mumbled at her feet in frustration. Why was it every time she spoke to someone they were warning her about someone else? Could she trust anyone in Wonderland?

"There has to be another way. Should you be so determined to return to where you came from you must be interested in if you have more options."

"Well yes, if there are other options but that was the option I was told to follow."

"By whom?"

"The door."

"And what else did the door say to you?"

"Other than some idle conversation he told me to 'beware the Hatter'."

Once again Elijah froze in spot but this time he didn't look at anyone. It only took a second to realize he had stopped breathing altogether. "Elijah are you alright? Do you know who the Hatter is?"

"Why is it that you wish to trifle with the most powerful people in Wonderland?"

"I have no desire to meet the Hatter, I was told not to. I was told to find the queen but you don't think that is the answer. So now I am waiting for you to give me an answer or even a suggestion."

"We need to find the Cheshire Cat."

"Oh my god, I'm so tired of you people name dropping. How am I supposed to know who any of these people are?" Caroline's frustration caused her brow to twitch and the tone in her voice was becoming unladylike. Taking a deep breath she pulled herself together. "I'm sorry for being rude but you'll have to understand how overwhelmed I am. One day my definition of adventure is a simple stroll to the lake directly next to my family home and now I'm lost and confused travelling with a man that can only be described as a hermit."

"A hermit? My dear girl you know nothing about me."

"That is the only thing I am sure about."

They walked in silence for a few minutes before Caroline could make out the edge of a town. From a distance it didn't seem to be that large. "Where are we?"

"You're speaking to me now?"

Caroline threw her arms into the air and then stormed forward. Maybe there would be someone else that could give her a hand getting home. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Well you're not me, are you?"

"That's for sure." Elijah appeared instantly at her side and draped his cloak over her shoulders. "Put this on, you stand out too much the way you are dressed."

Slipping her arms into the sleeves and pulling the hood over her face, Caroline tried to fall in line with Elijah. She was still unsure whether he was trustworthy or not but she had read enough novels to know that standing out in an unknown place normally drew in the wrong attention. Wouldn't these people be more surprised to see Alexander?

"How are you going to hide a giant griffin?"

"I'm not." And no sooner had those words left his lips did Caroline realize that their companion was nowhere to be found. "He stepped away a few minutes ago. He'll keep far enough away to stay safe, but close enough in case of emergency. I don't trust others around him."

"Do you really trust others at all?"

"Where did these ideas of me being a loner come from? I've been quite pleasant to you, have I not?"

"Yes, but you could be leading me to my death."

A hearty laugh rippled out of Elijah's chest and he just shook his head. He casually brought her hand around his arm and led her into the town. "Why are we here?"

"I told you, we need to find Cheshire."

"And this cat lives in this town?"

"Something like that, she's a bit of a wanderer but I keep an eye out for her. And that eye, dear Caroline, has led me here. Hopefully she is still relatively nearby." There was something in Elijah's voice that suggested he wasn't only looking for the cat because it could help Caroline.

"Should we get a fish to lure it in?"

He laughed once again, "No, just wait and see."

They passed through a marketplace and all eyes were on them. She watched as many people pulled children behind them and some even raised a weapon in their direction. "Elijah…I'm getting the feeling we're not welcome here."

He didn't say anything as he continued to pull her along the road. Soon she began to hear whispers under their breath. People parted on the road and refused to make eye contact but stared as soon as they wouldn't get caught. Caroline strained to hear their words but could only make out two words: March Hare.

"What is the March Hare?" Caroline whispered into Elijah's shoulder but made sure not to take her eyes off everyone else.

"Who and that would be me."

"I thought your name was Elijah?"

"It is but not everyone knows me by that name."

"Is March Hare your serial killer name?" Caroline asked with a laugh in her voice but tensed as soon as she saw the look on Elijah's face. It was definitely his serial killer name. Alexander was probably circling over them now like a hawk. As soon as Elijah gave the signal, he would swoop down and pick her off like a field mouse.

"Whatever you're thinking right now Caroline, it is out of the question." The shock in her face must have given her away. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he started to run through the streets steering her in the proper direction. At first Caroline thought she was running with him but at the pace he was going her feet weren't even touching the ground. What was he?

Before she could come up with any theories they had stopped in front of a bar and swept through the door in an instant. Placed back on her feet, Caroline looked around and noticed human men and creatures that were less than human. No one looked at them like they had on the street, except for the bar tender.

"Hare!" The man's face lit up with a smile as he rounded a towel around the lip of a glass. This place seemed to except Elijah but she didn't know if that was for the best or not. "What can I do for you, my friend?"

"I've come looking for a friend."

He was in a bar looking for a cat? Caroline glanced at the window sills first and then underneath the tables. All she found were some discarded bones and mud. Were those human bones?

"I know the friend you're looking for; she's probably in the attic, if she hasn't left yet."

"Thank you."

"Who's this new friend? She's quite pretty."

"She's of no concern friend, thank you for your help," and with that Elijah once again pulled Caroline towards a door leading to a set of stairs. "Ladies first."

Caroline took a breath and pulled her skirt up as she ascended the stairs. Opening into a hallway there were several doors on either side and she assumed that this must be a bar and breakfast. When Elijah had made it up the stairs he passed her and confidently walked to the last door of the hallway. Knocking, he waited a moment and Caroline came to stand patiently behind him. They were met with silence as the door wasn't opened nor did footsteps sound on the other side.

"She must be suspicious." Elijah opened the door without an invitation and stepped inside. Caroline peered around his shoulder but didn't see anyone in the room. Elijah's footsteps creaked on the wooden floor underneath him but still nothing moved.

"It's empty, maybe your friend left?"

"Not necessarily…" His voice drifted off and he looked back and forth between the walls. Caroline stepped into the room and wasn't but a few feet in before she felt someone at her back. Whirling around, she came face to face with a set of familiar brown eyes.

"Elena?"

The girl cocked her head to the side and circled her. When she came back to the front a smirk lit up her face and she let her hips shift to the side. "Who's this lost sparrow you've found Elijah?"

"This is Caroline, she comes from a world that is not our own."

"Well that is very interesting, isn't it?" The girl smiled again and stroked a finger from Caroline's throat to the tip of her chin. "What did you call me little sparrow?"

"Elena, you look exactly like a friend of mine."

"Well I don't have any friends but my enemies call me Cheshire."

"You're the Cheshire…Cat?"

"So Elijah has been bragging about me, well I am honored," the brunette shouldered past Caroline and went to stand in front of her companion. Standing on her tip toes she brought her lips to Elijah's and slid her hand onto the back of his neck. Of course, everyone loved Elena.

It didn't last more than a second before Elijah grabbed her by both arms and pushed her away. "We don't have time for this right now, Katerina."

The look of disappointment spread across the girl's face, right before she pouted. "Elijah, you're always so tense. I could help that."

"Katerina? That's a pretty name."

"But not for public use. You can call me Katherine, little sparrow." The girl moved like a cat as she fluidly made her way back to the girl. This was the first time Caroline noticed that she was in tight trousers and not a skirt, with her boots exposed and a corset that sat on the outside of her blouse. The girl had style that was for sure. Katherine scrunched up her nose before asking, "What are you wearing?"

Looking down at her own outfit, Caroline realized that below Elijah's cloak her dress was coated ankle deep in mud and torn to shreds. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as she admired the other girl's attire. "I wasn't expecting to spend so much time in the woods."

"Do you have any garments you can spare for my traveler?"

"I might be able to pull something together, but I'm travelling rather light these days myself." Bringing her thumb and index finger to her chin, Katherine circled Caroline once again. After a second round, Katherine stopped and seemed to study Caroline's but only for a second before another grin came. "I've got it."

Katherine stepped back and snapped her fingers. Caroline felt new materials situate onto her skin as she looked to find her dress and cloak gone and replaced by an outfit similar to Katherine's. However, where Katherine's color scheme was burgundy and black, Caroline found her own style was made up of tans and blues. The only thing that remained the same was her riding boots and she took a particular comfort in that.

"Much better," Katherine seemed pleased as she turned to Elijah for his input as well.

"Thank you Katerina, that certainly is much better for travel."

"So where are you taking this girl?"

"She must find a way back to her home and I was hoping you might have an answer."

"I'd think you're family would have better means than I do."

"My family and I are…speaking very seldom these days." Sadness spread over Elijah's face and Caroline wondered if he had any siblings. She was an only child but she had never thought to ask him if there were others.

"Well your brother has been a pain in my ass for more years than I'd like to think about, chasing me with no sight in end."

"Someone of your talents is a treasure but should not be coveted. Our last disagreement left me with a dagger through my chest." Caroline was startled by his words. Not only was Elijah still standing in front of her alive but that his brother would cause him such harm.

"He was always one known for…extremes," Katherine twirled a finger through a curl just the way Elena did and stared back at Elijah. "Where is he now?"

Before Elijah could answer a loud thud was heard from downstairs. "Must be another bar fight downstairs," Elijah sighed in disappointment and walked towards the door. "I'll go and see if Javier needs help with the drunks."

Katherine sauntered up to a window and quickly whipped back around, "I don't think that is a bar fight." She stormed over to the bed on the far side of the room and pulled a sheathed dagger from underneath a pillow and tucked it into her side. "Time to go."

Caroline only got a quick look at the window but saw the entire bar surrounded, "who are they?"

"That would be my brother's men. Looks like he's been keeping an eye on me as well."

"You led your brother here? I've been invisible for weeks and you show up with a bloodhound at your back?!" Katherine looked like she could rip Elijah's throat out even though she had looked at him so lovingly moments before.

"It wasn't by choice I can assure you," Elijah shoved a chair underneath the door handle and pulled the bed away from the wall and placed it underneath an opening in the roof Caroline hadn't noticed before. He stepped onto the bed and reached out for Caroline's hand. "Come, we must move quickly."

Shouts were heard in the hallway and the door shook when someone or something slammed against it.

"I'm not getting myself killed for your little project," and Katherine disappeared from the room.

"Where did she go?!"

"She got away from the danger, just like we need to do." He hoisted her up and she realized that she was on the roof. She could hear the door about to give way as Elijah lifted himself next to her and rushed her to the edge of the roof. Whistling sharply he looked at the ground to see if this side of the building was being watched.

Caroline heard the door shattered and terror ripped through her, "Elijah, I think they're about to find us!"

"Just one more second," Elijah whispered through his teeth as he grabbed Caroline's waist.

"We can't keep meeting like this brother." Caroline turned to look at the opening and saw a blond young man smiling in assumed victory. When his eyes met Caroline's his lips parted for a second but he instantly regained composure.

"Unfortunately this won't end how you'd like it to brother," Elijah lifted Caroline into the air and jumped from the roof. Before she could scream, they were caught by Alexander and he darted through the sky away from the town.

With one last glance backwards, Caroline locked eyes again with Elijah's brother but the only thing she saw this time was anger.


	5. Chapter 5

"You better start serving up some answers buddy because I've had enough surprises today to last me for a lifetime!" As soon as they landed, Caroline had her accusing finger pointed directly in Elijah's face causing him to back into Alexander.

"No 'thank you' for saving your life?"

"My mistake, thank you _Alexander_ for saving my life; you couldn't have come at a better time." Crossing her arms over her chest she began to tap her foot waiting for the next words to come out of Elijah's mouth.

"I'm sorry that I led you into town without letting you know more about my past and how it would attract attention to us and that word travels fast and my hotheaded brother would be after us within a flash. I thought it might be worth the risk to see if Cheshire could help you." His honesty floored her and for a moment she didn't know how to continue. Still he wasn't going to get off the hook that easy.

"Speaking of which, why would your "friend" disappear right when we needed her? How did she disappear for that matter?"

"She is incredibly skilled at avoiding and causing trouble. I went to her to see if she might have an answer aside from the obvious, however it would seem that the solution to your problem is going to be hard to acquire."

"You don't think it would be less troublesome to just go to the queen?" Caroline sat on a fallen tree close by. Everything in her life had been instantly turned upside down and she was having a hard time letting it all sink in. This was quite the adventure indeed.

"The queen is too much of a risk, everything comes at a price with her and you have nothing freely to give at the moment so I'm going to plead that you drop that option." He sat down next to her and his shoulders drooped in resignation. She didn't want to fight with him. Even though the danger was his fault, Caroline knew he was just trying to help.

"Why did your brother stab you?"

"That was a fitting change of subject," he laughed quietly and Caroline felt that some of the tension was dissolving. Alexander settled next to them and tucked his wings around his body.

"My family and I are some of the original inhabitants of Wonderland. We were around when some of the laws were written and we divided up some of the main acreage of land to each other. Over time some of us have died and others have given their land to their heirs. However, two of my siblings believe this land belongs to the originals and strong arm families into giving up their heritage. I believe in family above all but I also believe there is a time when that line is crossed. My brother and sister have shaken my respect in their trek for power. They have torn many sections of Wonderland apart and now some of those areas are useless."

"That sounds awful, why does no one try to stand up to them?"

"Many a war has been fought trying to stop their reigns but it is almost impossible. Now they think the only solution is to destroy and terrorize, assuming that will stop rebellions."

"Do you not desire power as well?"

"Everyone desires power Caroline; those who claim they don't are lying to themselves. It may even be a simple desire, something as small as having the power to handle the tragedies that happen in life." He lifted his hand in front of her and an apple dropped into it.

Caroline's eyes widened in shock as she reached out and plucked the fruit from his hand. She turned it over in her hands to see if it truly existed or if it was just a figment of her imagination. "How did you do this?"

"Magic, sorcery, _power_, you can call it whatever you like but it still created that apple for you."

"Can anyone use magic?"

"Most certainly not, can you imagine all the trouble that would cause? Very limited bloodlines carry the essence within them and even few manifest their gifts," he demonstrated by creating an apple for himself and then let it hover in midair before it sliced evenly into six pieces. Two of which he tossed in the air for Alexander's waiting mouth.

"So your brother and sister have these same gifts?"

"My brother and I are the opposite sides of the same coin. Where I can create, he destroys. My sister has no powers and—"

"She has none?! And yet she thinks she can put up some sort of fight against you and your brother?"

"Ah, that is where you forget the most interesting aspect, she is a female. If anything she has the power of persuasion unlike any other. Men's wills bend to her request and she takes no mercy. My sister is not weak by any means but she is crafty, why bloody your hands when you could bloody someone else's?" He took a bite from an apple slice like bloodying someone's hands was an appealing idea. She remembered the moment in the market place when she had asked about his alias and he had all but ignored her.

"Why do they call you the March Hare?"

Elijah looked up at the sky which had begun to darken and Caroline could have sworn he was waiting for an answer to be written for him in the stars. She looked at the sky as well and was shocked to find two moons in existence. At first she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her but there was definitely a smaller orb next to what she considered to be the original moon. Her thoughts were interrupted by his answer.

"When you've lived as long as I have there are times that you lose yourself and give in to dark desires. My brother and I have had a strained relationship for as long as I can remember but sometimes we do ally together and leave a wake of destruction in our path. My sister gained power on her own but my brother wanted more and ripped through the areas of Wonderland that did not belong to my family. I aided in his massacre thinking that that was my duty as the eldest son and his brother. Eventually the screams of mothers who have lost their families take a toll and my core dwindled away. My brother saw it as weakness and plunged a dagger into my heart. Luckily, our gifts are flowing through our veins and what little essence I could muster healed the wound. I found myself dropped in this forest and I took it as a chance of freedom. I raised Alexander from the nest and he was all I had for quite some time."

"Where does Cheshire fit into all of this?"

Remembering her, a smile spread across Elijah's face, "she had wandered into my wood thinking that no one would search for her there. Alexander found her first and the little minx almost gutted him on the spot; to this day he has no affection for her."

Finally, a man that didn't like Elena, or her exact appearance, she and Alexander just got closer in her eyes. "Did she try to kill you?"

"Her powers are great but not quite that expansive. I simply wanted to know what she was running from and when I learned it was my brother I saw not only a common factor but a moment of opportunity. I wasn't going to use her for the same purpose my brother intended but I could aid in hiding her from him."

"I think she can hide herself just fine."

"This is true but any aid I could provide I felt it necessary." He took a long breath before he reached out his hand and a fire appeared before them, it hovered in the air without wood or anything to hold it up. Caroline cocked her head to the side just to make sure there was nothing underneath of it and even dared to run her hand right below it.

"It's just energy. It won't give off much heat but with how dark it is getting it would be nice to see your reactions."

They both watched the illusion dance in front of them and Caroline began to zone out. She imagined sitting next to the hearth at home and reading a book; an adventure novel because she always craved to know what it would be like. The faux flame was mesmerizing but she knew it wasn't real and it wasn't this wasn't home.

"She must have felt so betrayed when we showed up and your brother is moments behind us." Caroline thought back to the look on Katherine's face when she realized who was at their door. She had watched as the girl's face gave ten different emotions at one time especially as she watched the man she cared for put himself in the line of fire. In the end, the need to survive had pushed those emotions away and that was when she had left them.

"Katerina is more resilient than that," the tone of his voice was drenched in his affection for the girl and the way he referred to her by name sent chills running up her back. She wished there was a man that could say her name like that.

"Why does your brother need her?"

"To take back what he thinks is his from my sister."

"How hard can that be when he has magic and she doesn't?"

"That is a question that has caused him a hardship for quite some time. Remember, magic isn't always the answer thus cannot solve every problem."

"That was very wise, what other sage advice do you have?"

"Are you mocking me? This is a very serious situation, Niklaus will stop at nothing to wipe out every village, person, woman, man, child, till he gets what he wants."

"I'm sure it is but—" Caroline didn't know she was laughing until she started to fall off the log. Everything came rushing to the surface and she could feel the laughter rattling through her chest.

"Caroline, are you alright?" Elijah put a firm grip on her shoulder and resituated her on the log. She held up a finger to let him know she needed a moment and she tried to slow her breathing down. As she took a few last final inhales and exhales a few tears streaked down her face. For everything spectacular about Wonderland there were two things far more dangerous. Caroline had walked through a door straight unto a battle field.

"You've killed people." The words left her lips so cold it felt like her teeth were chattering.

"A fact that I am not overly proud of."

"And your brother and sister are still killing people, to get what they want?"

"My sister is slightly more pacifist than my brother. Her temper is hot but she would rule through respect than through fear. My brother just wants to rule. He feels that there is something he is owed for; probably my mother's indiscretion that led to his birth. The difference in power from mine is not just a coincidence. It would suggest that she had an affair with someone with darker skills and thus my brother was born."

"Your sister, is ruling?"

The color drained from Elijah's face, "that was what you picked up out of all of that?"

"A woman in power is something I'm quite familiar with. What is she," Caroline's voice faded as she put everything together, "the queen?"

"Yes, she is the one the door was leading you to and the one I will keep you away from."

"But why?! She has what I need and you know that. You said she doesn't have power so what is it?"

"If I refused to tell you would it stop you from finding out?"

"Absolutely not. I'm a Forbes, we were born snoopers, and I could find out seven random facts about your sister before we even eat lunch tomorrow." Caroline once again felt like she had found her footing and she took an even breath. Then her eyes started to droop and she realized there was another battle she couldn't win.

"You won't make it till lunch tomorrow if you don't sleep tonight," with a snap of his fingers several blankets and a make shift pillow appeared. Elijah rested his back against Alexander, who must've already have fallen asleep while they were talking. He pulled one of the blankets over himself and let his eyes drift close. "Rest tonight and I will answer some more of your questions in the morning."

Lying on the ground was something that Caroline was use to but not with blankets and a pillow. Rolling on her side she faced the flame and once again found herself lost in it. She could do this. Elijah's sister was doing just fine without magic and so would she. Sleep came over her then.

Caroline opened her eyes to see a ballroom with people laughing and dancing. She looked down at herself to see a ball gown that she adored and knew it must've all been a dream. This was the engagement that Elena had been rambling on about. Where was she? Caroline couldn't wait to tell her about her dream. She started to move throughout the people but realized they were all wearing masquerade masks. She didn't recognize anyone but that wasn't out of the ordinary. Elena had hundreds of friends, acquaintenships, addresses her father collected; these people could be any of those.

"Looking for someone, love?"

"Yes, a friend of mine, she's throwing this party and I—" Caroline's next words caught in her throat as she turned to come face to face with Elijah's brother. "Niklaus."

"Why so formal, love, call me Klaus." A smile spread across his face as he extended a hand to her. His politeness was met with disgust as Caroline stormed away from him. "Where are you going? Don't know how to dance?"

People crashed in around Caroline and she was unable to move forward. She tried to push but realized that they were certainly not going to move for her. Turning around she met Klaus face to face, "what do you want with me?"

"Good, I've got your attention; let's have a dance, shall we?"

"No, I wouldn't dance with you if my life depended on it."

"What about Elijah's life?" A coy smile played across this lips and he looked into her face through his lashes.

"You would threaten your own brother, for a dance?"

"If it meant getting what I want."

"You're disgusting," but Caroline didn't know if she was willing to call his bluff. This was only a dream, what could a dance hurt? He stood before her arms outstretched and she walked right up to him, like a moth to the faux flame.

"What brings you to Wonderland?" His dancing was flawless and even though she was familiar with this step he still possessed a skill that amazed her.

"It's of no concern to you."

"Everything that happens in Wonderland is of concern to me; a king must know every one of his subjects."

"Well then I must introduce myself to your sister, immediately." Point one for Caroline. The way his jaw slacked gave her a particular thrill.

Regaining composure instantly he spun her in time with all of the other dancers and then brought her back to face him, "obviously my brother has been filling you in on our family history."

"If you're referring to the blood feud that has caused hundreds of innocent deaths, then yes, I've been updated." All she had to do was hold her own until this nightmare ended.

"Then he's told you the hand he has had in it as well?"

"Elijah's past actions phase me very little. His urge for repentance is admirable."

"Will that urge return young sons and daughters to their mothers bosoms?"

Caroline ripped away from him and tried once again to make an exit. His words echoed behind her but she continued to move forward. She went to walk out what she assumed to be the front door but then her surroundings swirled and she was in a room full of art.

"What do you think?" His voice came from behind her neck sending a shiver up her spine but she wouldn't give.

"I think you're a psychopath with a god complex."

Klaus chuckled lightly as he stared at his own works of art. "So I take it you don't fancy me?"

"Is that so hard to believe? You're full of anger, darkness, and hate."

"Well you have me all summed up, don't you love?"

Ignoring him, she focused on the painting in front of her. He wouldn't be won over by his charm. The painting was beautiful and the scene made her feel slightly relaxed, "what village did you pillage to steal this? Is that it in the painting?"

"I could show you, if you wanted." He stood a few feet away from her but she could almost feel the tension radiating through her body.

"Take a tour of the once beautiful village you burned to the ground, I don't think so."

"The way the artist captured it, is still that same way it looks today." His voice softened and Caroline watched as he lost himself in the scene as well. She wasn't going to be distracted now.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"I need your help. I need you to convince my brother that he has no other option but to aid me in my quest. I need you—"

"I'm sorry, you must be mistaking me for one of your delusional dancers in the ballroom. I have no desire to do anything for you. And for that matter, why not talk to your brother yourself? I'm sure if your quest is reasonable he would gladly help. Oh, wait. You want to kill a bunch of people and be king of a wasteland."

"Such a sharp tongue for someone with no advantage." The anger she had seen on the rooftop flared in his eyes again but was also mixed with passion. He enjoyed a challenge. "I'll tell you what. Convince my brother that he needs to join my side and I'll give you what you want."

"You don't know what I want."

"A safe passage home? I believe you've already discovered that it resides in my sister's kingdom. Help me take the kingdom and I shall give you what you want."

"No."

"No?" Klaus laughed at her as he stepped closer, "you must be foolish, love, to think that you have any other option."

"I'm not foolish; I'm just not desperate enough to seek help from a clearly established psychopath." Everything that his face had given away earlier had vanished and now he only returned a cold stare.

"Fine, if you will not help me I think it is time for you to go."

"Whenever you're ready to release me," Caroline stormed away once again and marched through the house. This time though Klaus made no move to stop her.

"I'll be seeing you soon, Caroline." Her heart stopped at the way he said her name and she went to turn around but he was already gone. And she was returned to slumber.


	6. Chapter 6

Caroline woke up breathing heavily and grasping her arms to make sure she wasn't still trapped in a dream. She could barely see where the sun was coming up and the two moons were receding into the day. She rolled over to see Alexander and Elijah were gone. Another fear rose in her chest when she considered that they were the only allies she had in Wonderland up until this moment. His murderous brother was able to find her in dreams and he had just left her vulnerable in the woods.

"Elijah?" She whispered as she stood up, nervous about what might be lurking nearby. Pushing the blankets off of her, Caroline rose to her feet and dusted the back of her pants off, if she could call them that. The blankets disappeared and Caroline wondered where they would end up. "Elijah!"

"Could you not yell like that? I think the murderers have well established that you're by yourself." Caroline whirled around to find Katherine at her back. Even though it was barely dawn Katherine looked like she had been awake for hours. It was clear that she hadn't spent the night sleeping on the ground.

"Nice of you to show up." Caroline pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Miss me?" Katherine feigned a cute pout but Caroline wasn't interested. She understood why the girl had left them at the bar but it didn't mean she had to agree with her decision.

"Do you know where Elijah is?" For all she knew the little minx was the reason he was gone.

"Actually, no. I had been searching for the three of you and I could hear your voice shouting." How? Where could she have been to have heard her voice?

"Where did you come from?"

"I don't want to trouble that pretty blonde head of yours but let's just say I have selective detection," Katherine walked over to the log that Caroline and Elijah had shared just a few hours before. Where could he have gone?

"He left me by myself in the woods," her voice came out like a small child who needed their hand held. She didn't want to lead Katherine to believe that she was completely defenseless but she still didn't understand why she was alone.

"He never would have left you if he thought you were unsafe. For all we know he could be out catching breakfast for Alexander," crossing her legs she leaned back, "helpless, little, sparrows, just like yourself."

"Why did you come looking for us? Don't you think that we led Klaus to you?" Caroline stopped right in front of the brunette but refused to take her eyes off her. If Katherine felt they had betrayed her she may be waiting to repay the favor.

"You might have but Elijah…never. You see Klaus is in love with me and—"

"Oh my god," Caroline fell onto the log and put her face in her hands.

"Excuse me, what is your problem?" Katherine crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at Caroline.

"Klaus isn't in _love _with you; he just wants to use you in his war for the throne." Caroline had no idea if what she was saying was true but she couldn't allow herself to believe that one more person loved Elena's twin. Her head would explode. "If you were able to find me so quickly, how is it that you can't find Elijah just as fast?"

Katherine's brow furrowed at Caroline's words and it took a moment before she finally said anything, "I can't find him."

"Even my pretty blonde head knows that but—"

"No, I mean that even my freaky detection senses can't see him," she said that last few things through her teeth and glared over her shoulder at Caroline. "Before you ask any other pointless questions, this means that either someone is blocking me or…he's dead."

"Dead?! Why didn't you share this information earlier?" Caroline jumped to her feet and had to stop herself from hitting the girl across the face.

"It's hard to think when I've got something rambling in my ear," Katherine stood and seemed to be lost in thought. "We need to leave here and find out where he's gone."

Before Caroline could ask how they were going to do that, Katherine reached out for her arm and time seemed to stop. Then it accelerated rapidly. At first she was able to see trees rushing by but then everything blurred together and it took her entire focus not to get dizzy. They finally stopped outside of a house and Caroline leaned over, stuck her head between her knees and threw up.

"What…was…that?" Caroline's words shook as she tried to catch her breath.

"A girl's gotta get around, right?" Katherine walked past her and right up to the door of the house. Without knocking she walked right in and Caroline assumed this was her home. The way they travelled must have been the way Katherine had left when Klaus had arrived the day before. She quickly followed inside not wanting to be left out in the woods.

The house was filled with random items, from an assortment of weapons that littered the floor to pieces of jewelry and clothing that lay strewn all over the furniture. "Is this where you live?"

"It would be a loose definition of live, I think of it more as a storage space of sorts."

As Caroline looked around the room she missed home. This building, like so many of the others she had seen, was run down and it made her home seem like a castle. She ran her finger across a table and was able to see the trail she left through the dust. "Your storage space could use some cleaning."

"If I wanted to be judged I would have left you in the woods to die because I never want to be judged," Katherine threatened her with a menacing glare and walked over to a shelf of books over a fireplace. She fingered through them before finally selecting a green volume. Upon inspection it had just as much grime as everything else in her home. When she set the book on the table it blew out a cloud of dust and both of the girls coughed. Opening the large book, she began thumbing through the pages, like they had all the time in the world.

"What are you doing? If we want to find Elijah we don't have time to read."

"Don't get your undergarments in a twist; pull up a chair as _I _figure out how to find both of them." It took a few minutes before Caroline understood that standing wasn't going to get her anywhere faster, in fact it was only irritating Katherine.

"What were you dreaming about?" Katherine's words startled Caroline, especially since she didn't even look up from what she was skimming through.

"How did you know that I was dreaming?"

"Everyone dreams, especially in Wonderland. It's another way that I was able to find you. The dream realm kind of takes on a personality all its own here, you'll have to be very careful, you're not even safe when you're asleep."

"Klaus came to see me. He wants my help in convincing Elijah to join him."

"That'll never happen," Katherine finally looked up from the book and laughed in Caroline's face, "Elijah wouldn't return to his old ways even if it meant his life. It's one of the reasons Klaus won't come to him himself, his threats no longer work."

"You're wrong, family means everything to Elijah, and he won't just give up."

"You've known him for a day and you think that you've learned enough about him in that small amount of time?"

"If you listen to people and try to understand them then yes, you can learn about them quickly. When Elijah was telling me about their past it became very clear that he wanted all of this to end."

Katherine went silent and continued to flip through the book. Caroline nervously looked around her and looked out the window. The sun had finally come up but she had no idea what time it is. Klaus could be already up and killing families to get his way.

She continued to look out the window as she watched a strange small bird land on a branch. When it became a little clearer she saw it was a rocking horse. Startled she looked away but then quickly looked back, fascinated. Katherine's chair rubbed against the floor causing Caroline to jump. She returned the book to its shelf and pulled off the one next to it.

"Why are so many people just letting this happen?"

"You're asking the wrong questions." Katherine circled around her like a cat playing with her mouse. What were the right questions? It was like trying to answer riddles and every time Caroline opened her mouth, Katherine was laughing at her.

"Is there anyone who can stand up to Klaus and his sister?"

A grin spread across her face almost in pride and she cocked her head in her usual fashion and let the curls cascade down her shoulder, "there might be but they're not showing their hand quite yet."

"You know who he is?"

"She. Please, you can see what happens when magic is in the hands of men." Katherine sat down across from her and rested her feet on the table. She looked at Caroline with mischief in her big brown eyes, "I think she'd like to meet you."

"I'm only interested in finding Elijah. Every time I meet a new person here my life gets put in danger. I think I'll stick to the few I already know."

"The choice truly isn't yours. If I want to take you all it will take is a one, little touch," smiling again Katherine held up one finger. How did she keep her nails looking so great in a world with very limited products for hygiene? She ignored her and looked back out the window. The rocking horse bird was gone but she could only imagine that it had flown back to its nest where there were smaller horse birds. How cute would they be?

"If you're going to kidnap me then we might as well get this over with, I just want to go home."

"Yeah, yeah, your ever constant mission to go home. You do realize that you're in the middle of a war leaving people homeless every day?"

"This isn't a war, it's a family feud." It was Caroline's turn to fold her arms and glare at Katherine.

"Listen, I'm just as determined to keep my neck out of this as you are but all the major players in the feud have what you need to get home. Elijah could have helped but now he's M.I.A. so you can either help me find him or saunter up to his sister alone. You're choice."

Caroline finally sighed in resignation, "What do we do?"

"Well, Elijah wouldn't have willing gone to his siblings for aid so he must have went somewhere else and been intercepted."

Understanding where Katherine was going, "he went to see the other person with a hand in the feud didn't he?"

"You're catching on quick little sparrow." Katherine slammed the second book shut and started to gather weapons off the floor. She outstretched a dagger in Caroline's direction and she just stared at it. "You want to go unarmed?"

"I've never used something like that before."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Katherine shook her head and kept looking around at her supply. "Do you see anything you could use?"

"I studied archery when I was little."

"Excellent," Katherine handed Caroline a bow and quiver. Caroline ran her hand down the intricately carved wood and appreciated the weapons beauty.

"What did you learn from the book?"

"I learned where she lives," Katherine grabbed Caroline's arm and the house disappeared from around them.


End file.
